“My Child Makes Me Proud to Advocate for ADHD Awareness”

It’s taken me years to feel comfortable discussing my daughter’s ADHD diagnosis in public. As I watched her easily share her challenges with a room full of people, I was immeasurably proud to be her mom.

Share Article Menu

Plato wrote, “Courage is knowing what not to fear.” I thought of these words as I sat in a room packed with parents and educators from our community.

My 11-year-old daughter was sitting with experts facilitating a discussion on attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD). I was the proudest mom in the room — in fact, I could barely hold back tears — as she read a passage from our soon-to-be released book on our life with ADHD.

“I went back to school after I was diagnosed. One of my great friends, Davis, asked me if I had autism. I said, ‘No, but I do have ADHD.’ Davis replied, ‘Oh, good, I don’t know what that is, but I’m sure I will learn about it.’ That reassured me that no one would tease me about my ADHD, and no one ever has.”

When she finished reading, applause filled the room. It has taken me years of research and soul searching to openly discuss the subject of her ADHD diagnosis. I was awestruck by her poise and courage as she shared her deepest struggles with the audience.

I began blogging about parenting a family touched by ADHD last year. My hope was to educate myself about the disorder and to help others, too. This led to working on a book about ADHD with my daughter.

She may struggle to get out the door on time. She needs extra help organizing her schoolwork. But next time I need to find the courage to advocate for ADHD awareness, I won’t have to look far.

Since 1998, millions of parents and adults have trusted ADDitude's expert guidance and support for living better with ADHD and its related mental health conditions. Our mission is to be your trusted advisor, an unwavering source of understanding and guidance along the path to wellness.